On a crescent moon beach, just metres from the shoreline, fishermen were making repairs, their nets spread out across a handy skateboard ramp. Behind them was a Hindu temple, surrounded by colourful guesthouses, souvenir shops and restaurants. I had dodged the laundry lines crisscrossing the alleyways of Fisherman’s Colony in the Indian town of Mahabalipuram to make it to the sea, in search of the waves I’d heard about – and wanted to surf.